New legislation deigned to get pit bulls off the streets of Warren may not be needed, several city officials said Wednesday.

City ordinances already define pit bulls as vicious dogs and require owners to have insurance and register the animals. But not one pit bull has been registered since the law was passed in 2006.

Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Pinti said he has received several application to register vicious dogs, but none have had the required insurance certification, so they were rejected.

Yet, Councilman Robert Dean, D-at large, said, there are dozens ofincidents, including one last week when two pit bulls ''literally ate up a Chihuahua on Belmont Street N.E.''

His plan is different from Youngstown's ban. Following a Garfield Heights law, Dean would add a definition of all varieties of pit bull into the law and place full responsibility for their behavior on the owners....